Songs and Shanties
Songs and shanties (sailors' work songs) are a common occurrence aboard ship, where they are used to raise morale and speed the passing of time during arduous work.
The rhythm of a sea shanty can be used to speed work up, or slow it down, as determined by the Shanty Man; the lead singer of the chorus.
Below are a few common shanties sung aboard vessels across The Azure Sea.
Author's Note: These are all based on real historical sea shanties. I've changed some names to fit in with the world.
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Sea Shanties by Unknown |
Blood Red Roses
My clothes are all in pawn
Go down you blood red roses, go down
And it's mighty draughty around the Horn
Go down you blood red roses, go down
Oh, you pinks and posies
Go down you blood red roses, go down
It's round the Horn we've got to go
Chasing whales through waves and below
Oh my old mother she wrote to me
My darling son come home from sea
Oh it's one more pull and that will do
For we're the bullies to kick her through
(tune)
Blow the Wind Westerly
Up jumps a crab with his crooked legs
Saying "you play the cribbage and I'll stick the pegs"
Singing blow the wind westerly, let the wind blow
By a gentle nor'wester how steady she goes
Up jumps a dolphin with his chuckle-head
He jumps on the deck saying "pull out the lead!"
Singing blow the wind westerly, let the wind blow
By a gentle nor'wester how steady she goes
Up jumps a flounder so flat on the ground
Saying "damn your old chocolate, mind how you sound"
Singing blow the wind westerly, let the wind blow
By a gentle nor'wester how steady she goes
Up jumps a salmon so bright as the sun
He jumped down between the decks and fired off a gun
Singing blow the wind westerly, let the wind blow
By a gentle nor'wester how steady she goes
Up jumps a whale, the biggest of all
He jumped up aloft and he's pawl after pawl
Singing blow the wind westerly, let the wind blow
By a gentle nor'wester how steady she goes
Up jumps a herring, the king of the sea
He jumps up on deck saying "helms a-lee!"
Singing blow the wind westerly, let the wind blow
By a gentle nor'wester how steady she goes
Up jumps a shark with his big row of teeth
He jumped up between the decks and shook out the reefs
Singing blow the wind westerly, let the wind blow
By a gentle nor'wester how steady she goes
(tune)
Bold Barley
Our anchor's aweigh and our sails are all set
Bold Barley, oh, boom-a-lay
The folks we are leaving, we'll never forget
Bold Barley, oh, gone away
Goodbye, me darling. Goodbye, me dear, oh
Bold Barley, oh, boom-a-lay
Goodbye, me darling. Goodbye, me dear, oh
Bold Barley, oh, gone away
Wake up Mary Ellen and don't look so glum
By Whitestocking time you'll be drinking hot rum
The rain it is raining now all the day long
And the northerly wind, it does blow so strong
We're outward and bound for Amber Bay
Get bending, me boys, it's a hell of a way
(tune)
The Cerulean Line
In the Cerulean Line I served my time
To me way-aye-aye, hurray-ah
And that's the line where you can shine
Hurrah for the Cerulean Line
The Cerulean Ships are good and true
They are the ships for me and you
For once there was a Cerulean Ship
That fourteen knots an hour could clip
They'll carry you along through frost and snow
And take you where the wind don't blow
You will surely find a rich gold mine
Just take a trip in the Cerulean Line
Just take a trip to Keymouth dock
To Keymouth dock, that Imperial block
The Imperial sailors you'll see there
With blue-top boots and short-cut hair
At Keymouth docks we bid adieu
To Poll and Bet and lovely Sue
And now we're bound for Seaton Town
It's there we'll drink, and sorrow drown
(tune)
Don't Forget Your Old Shipmates
Safe and sound at home again, let the waters roar, Jack.
Safe and sound at home again, let the waters roar, Jack.
Long we’ve tossed on the rolling main, now we’re safe ashore, Jack.
Don’t forget yer old shipmate, faldee raldee raldee raldee rye-eye-doe!
Since we sailed from 'breaker Bite, four years gone, or nigh, Jack.
Was there ever chummies, now, such as you and I, Jack?
Long we’ve tossed on the rolling main, now we’re safe ashore, Jack.
Don’t forget yer old shipmate, faldee raldee raldee raldee rye-eye-doe!
We have worked the self-same gun, quarterdeck division.
Sponger I and loader you, through the whole commission.
Long we’ve tossed on the rolling main, now we’re safe ashore, Jack.
Don’t forget yer old shipmate, faldee raldee raldee raldee rye-eye-doe!
When the middle watch was on, and the time went slow, boy,
Who could choose a rousing stave, who like Jack or Joe, boy?
Long we’ve tossed on the rolling main, now we’re safe ashore, Jack.
Don’t forget yer old shipmate, faldee raldee raldee raldee rye-eye-doe!
There she swings, an empty hulk, not a soul below now.
Number seven starboard mess misses Jack and Joe now.
Long we’ve tossed on the rolling main, now we’re safe ashore, Jack.
Don’t forget yer old shipmate, faldee raldee raldee raldee rye-eye-doe!
But the best of friends must part, fair or foul the weather.
Hand yer flipper for a shake, now a drink together.
(tune)
Fish in the Sea
Come all you young sailor men, listen to me,
I'll sing you a song of the fish in the sea;
And it's...
Windy weather, boys, stormy weather, boys,
When the wind blows, we're all together, boys;
Blow ye winds westerly, blow ye winds, blow,
Jolly sou'wester, boys, steady she goes.
Up jumps the eel with his slippery tail,
Climbs up aloft and reefs the topsail.
And it's...
Windy weather, boys, stormy weather, boys,
When the wind blows, we're all together, boys;
Blow ye winds westerly, blow ye winds, blow,
Jolly sou'wester, boys, steady she goes.
Then up jumps the shark with his nine rows of teeth,
Saying, "You eat the dough boys, and I'll eat the beef!"
And it's...
Windy weather, boys, stormy weather, boys,
When the wind blows, we're all together, boys;
Blow ye winds westerly, blow ye winds, blow,
Jolly sou'wester, boys, steady she goes.
Up jumps the whale... the largest of all,
"If you want any wind, well, I'll blow ye a squall!"
(tune)
Jacob Tabor
Jacob Tabor gained the day
Walk him along, John, carry him along
Jacob Tabor gained the day
Carry him to his burying ground
To me way hay, you stormy
Walk him along, John, carry him along
To me way hay, stormy
Carry him to his burying ground
Jacob Tabor died long ago
He's gone, me boys, where the winds never blow
We lowered him down with a silver chain
We made sure he wouldn't rise again
We dug his grave with a silver spade
His shroud of finest silk was made
Jacob Tabor gained the day
Jacob Tabor gained the day
(tune)
Good Mornin' Ladies All
Good Mornin' Ladies All
We are outward bound for Milford town
With a heave-o, haul!
An' we'll heave the ol' wheel round an' round
Good mornin' ladies all!
An' when we get to Milford town
With a heave-o, haul!
Oh, 'tis there we'll drink an' sorrow drown
Good mornin' ladies all!
Them gals down south are free an' gay
With a heave-o, haul!
Wid them we'll spend our hard-earned pay
Good mornin' ladies all!
We'll swing around, we'll have good fun
With a heave-o, haul!
An' soon we'll be back on the homeward run
Good mornin' ladies all!
An' when we get to Seaton town
With a heave-o, haul!
For the very last time we'll waltz around
Good mornin' ladies all!
With Poll and Meg an' Sally too
With a heave-o, haul!
We'll drink an' dance wid a hullabaloo
Good mornin' ladies all!
So a long goodbye to all you dears
With a heave-o, haul!
Don't cry for us, don't waste yer tears
Good mornin' ladies all!
(tune)
Homeward Bound
To Solebosa town we'll bid adieu,
To lovely Kate and pretty Sue.
Our anchor's weighed and our sails unfurled,
We're bound for to plough this watery world.
You know we're outward bound,
Hurrah, we're outward bound!
The wind blows hard from the east nor-east,
Our ship sails ten knots at least,
The skipper will our wants supply,
And while we've grog we'll ne'er say die.
You know we're outward bound,
Hurrah, we're outward bound!
And should we touch at Cumbermar,
Or any other port so far,
Our skipper will tip the chink,
And just like fishes we will drink.
You know we're outward bound,
Hurrah, we're outward bound!
And now our three years it is out,
It's very near time we back'd about;
And when we're home, and do get free,
O, won't we have a jolly spree.
You know we're outward bound,
Hurrah, we're outward bound!
And now we'll haul into the docks,
Where all the pretty girls come in flocks,
And one to the other they will say,
"Here comes Jack with his three years' pay!"
And now we'll haul to the "Painted Hare,"
For there's good liquor for to purchase there,
In comes old Archer with a smile,
Saying, "Drink, my lads, it's worth your while."
You know we're outward bound,
Hurrah, we're outward bound!
But when our money's all gone and spent,
And none to be borrowed nor none to be lent,
In comes old Archer with a frown,
Saying, "Get up, Jack, let John sit down."
You know we're outward bound,
Hurrah, we're outward bound!
(tune)
Middlescier Ladies
Farewell and adieu to you, Middlescier ladies,
Farewell and adieu to you, ladies of South,
For we've received orders for to sail for old Keymouth,
And we may never see you fair ladies again.
We will rant and we'll roar like true Empire sailors,
We'll rant and we'll roar all on the salt seas.
Until we strike soundings in the channel of old Keymouth,
From Eastcliff to Fey is thirty-five leagues.
We hove our ship to, with the wind at sou'west, boys
We hove our ship to, deep soundings to take.
'Twas forty-five fathoms with a white sandy bottom,
So we squared our main yard and up channel did steer.
We will rant and we'll roar like true Empire sailors,
We'll rant and we'll roar all on the salt seas.
Until we strike soundings in the channel of old Keymouth,
From Eastcliff to Fey is thirty-five leagues.
Now let every man drink off his full bumper,
And let every man drink off his full glass,
We'll drink and be jolly and drown melancholy,
And here's to the health of each true-hearted lass!
We will rant and we'll roar like true Empire sailors,
We'll rant and we'll roar all on the salt seas.
Until we strike soundings in the channel of old Keymouth,
From Eastcliff to Fey is thirty-five leagues.
(tune)
Yo Ho Ho!
Yo ho, yo ho, a pirate's life for me
We pillage, we plunder, we rifle, and loot
Drink up, me 'earties, yo ho
We kidnap and ravage and don't give a hoot
Drink up me 'earties, yo ho
Yo ho, yo ho, a pirate's life for me
We extort, we pilfer, we filch, and sack
Drink up, me 'earties, yo ho
Maraud and embezzle, and even high-jack
Drink up, me 'earties, yo ho
Yo ho, yo ho, a pirate's life for me
We kindle and char, inflame and ignite
Drink up, me 'earties, yo ho
We burn up the city, we're really a fright
Drink up, me 'earties, yo ho
We're rascals, scoundrels, villains, and knaves
Drink up, me 'earties, yo ho
We're devils and black sheep, really bad eggs
Drink up, me 'earties, yo ho
Yo ho, yo ho, a pirate's life for me
We're beggars and blighters, ne'er-do-well cads
Drink up, me 'earties, yo ho
Aye, but we're loved by our mommies and dads
Drink up, me 'earties, yo ho
(tune)
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